Weakest Link
by Iron from the Fire
Summary: Things have changed between Beast Boy and Raven over the past year. Will they now be able to reveal how they really feel, and what happens when Slade appears with his latest plan to tear the Titans apart?T for blood and things like that.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was another sunny day in Jump City and all the Titans were hanging around the common room with nothing really to do. Well, there was always something to do, but whether or not it wanted to be done was a different story. Robin sat in his chair with his headphones on playing some form of rock so loud it was heard on the other side of the room. Starfire was busy in the kitchen making some form of Tamaranian meal that she was positive would make the others overjoyed to eat. Cyborg was on the floor playing video games on the incredibly large T.V. Screen they had. Raven sat on on end of the couch with a rather old looking leather bound book opened in her lap.

The only one who was missing was Beast Boy. He would normally be seated next to Cyborg on the floor in a heated battle of computer characters; but today was different. The first one to notice was the half robot who got bored rather quickly by just competing against the computer.

"Any of y'all know where BB got off to?" he asked loudly without even a glance away from the screen.

Starfire and Raven both looked at him but Robin remained lost in his music.

"I have not seen friend Beast Boy all day, perhaps you have Raven." said Star as she stirred her pudding like mush in a bowl vigorously.

"I saw him early this morning, which is unusual, but I haven't seen him since." replied Raven who frowned a little at the sudden realization of her friends absence.

"Oh man, will one of you go look for him for me?" asked the metal man still thoroughly engaged in the game.

"I am afraid I cannot friend Cyborg for if I leave this special dish alone it will n9ot come out right. Maybe you can pause you--"

"WHAT! Are you kidding me! Not when I'm in the zone Star!"

Starfire sighed lightly. "Friend Raven would you be able to search for friend Beast Boy?"

Raven had already closed her book by that time, she knew it would come down to her going. Everyone else's things were more important than her finishing her book. But deep down she did not mind. She was worried about the green changeling. It was not like him to stay away from the others like this.

"I don't mind going Star." she said politely but still shot a frowning glance at Cyborg even though there was no chance that he would b able to see it.

She walked through the double doors with the standard swish. And out into the corridor. The first place she checked was his room, then the roof and the rocky shore. Both of which were places Beast Boy went to think by himself. He was in none of those places. Now Raven was truly worried. There were only a few other places to check.

'Now, either the gym or the garage.' she thought to herself. 'I'll doubt he's in the garage, Cyborg would kill him.'

Her intuition paid off. She reached the Titans gym which was a pretty fair size, with all sorts of fitness equipment, punching bags, and even a sparing ring. Inside music resonated off the walls accompanied by the sound of grunting and free weights rustling together. She stood in the doorway for two reasons; one because she thought it would be rude to just walk in and two because she was surprised at what she saw.

Beast Boy was lifting a barbell over his head time and time again and the amount of weight on it startled Raven.

'There must be 300 pounds on there!' she thought.

But no matter the weight Beast Boy just pumped out rep after rep as if in a trance with no sign of slowing down. Now Raven really heard what music was playing on the stereo they had there. It was Evanescence Sweet Sacrifice. As it played the chorus he seemed to get even faster with his reps. Soon though the song changed and it was now playing Evanescence Taking over me. Beast Boy set the weights on the floor. His back was still to Raven but now his hands moved to the beat of the song. Soon though he turned and was startled by Raven watching him from the doorway.

"Oh, hey Raven, uh, hows it going?" he said stumbling a little over his words and blushing madly.

Now she noticed he was not wearing a shirt and blushed little as well.

"Um, good, sorry for startling you." she replied quietly.

"How long were you standing there for?" he asked timidly causing Raven to smile a little.

"Since Sweet Sacrifice." Now though she got serious. "Have you been here all morning Beast Boy? Working out is good but too much will hurt you."

"Yeah, but it all seemed too easy after a while and I guess I got carried away by the music."

"Just don't hurt yourself."

"I won't, but why are you down here though? I don't think this is the best place to meditate, and I really don't think that you came all the way down here to watch me work out."

As he said this he walked up to Raven and the changes that had occurred over the past year had become apparent. Beast Boy was now taller than her by almost a full head length, and was definitely much more muscular now with all his working out. Raven shook those thoughts from her mind resuming her little blush.

"I came down here," she said "to tell you that Cyborg wanted to play video games with you."

"Why didn't he come find me?"

"He didn't want to pause the game, he was saying something about being 'in the zone'."

"Sounds about right, what about Star of Robin?"

"Starfire is making some ungodly food and bird brain is lost in his headphones, I figured I could put my book down."

Beast boy laughed hard her sarcasm. "Good one! But don't let it get to your head that their stuff is more important." One thing he always liked about Raven was she really didn't mind stopping what she was doing to help others, at least when she was in a good mood.

"O-Okay." she stuttered, caught off guard by his comment

"Well I guess I should take your advice, no matter how surprising it might be."

"Yes you should, wait, what's so surprising about it?" she asked curiously.

"Well I always figured I annoy you so much you'd rather I get hurt on my own and save you the trouble." he said rather simply

"Beast Boy!" she said startled making him become very alert. "Please don't think that of me, I don't ever want to see you get hurt, that would be horrible."

Now Beast Boy smiled. "So I guess you've got feelings for the stupid old grass stain huh?"

Raven stared at the floor. "I don't think that your a stupid old grass stain." she said barely above a whisper.

'Today is full of surprises I guess.' thought Beast Boy to himself musingly.

Silence surrounded both of them except for the stereo now playing Going Under. Raven was no arguing with herself on the inside about how she felt about Beast Boy. Beast Boy knew he liked Raven a lot, it was whether or not he should tell her that was the problem. Over the past year since the end of the world incident they had grown close as friends, and they definitely did not argue as much as they used to.

Neither knew what to say now but the alarm went off saving them from the awkwardness. They looked at each other for a fleeting second before they went their separate ways. Raven went straight up to see the problem, and Beast Boy went to get fixed up.

Within minutes the green teen had joined them up in the common room where the others had already gathered and were ready to go.

"Where are we goin'?" he asked hurriedly

"The sewers," stated Robin, "apparently some guy kidnapped a girl and took her down there."

"Isn't that a job for the police?" asked Cyborg curiously.

"Normally it would be, but this guy wasn't effected by anything the police tried, so they want us to check it out. Titans! Go!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Within minutes of leaving the tower the Titans were underground in the heart of the city. The dark and damp environment was mostly quiet beside the dripping of unseen leaks and the splashing of the five teenagers footfalls in the water.

"Man, I always hate coming down here!" complained Cyborg

"Its got to be done though." replied Robin

They continued in the direction the police had given them until they reached a four way connection in the tunnel.

"I guess we're going to have to split up." said Robin confidently

Raven sighed, "I figured you were going to say that."

"What is wrong friend Raven? Are you perhaps scared?" asked Starfire genuinely

"No, I just have a bad feeling."

"Well then you go with Beast Boy then, if its such a bad feeling." ordered Robin, tired of all the side notes and 'needless talk' as he put it. "Starfire and I will go through the next, and Cyborg you can take the last one.

The other teens did as they were told and left through their respective tunnels. Beast Boy and Raven walked along quietly for a while till Beast Boy broke the silence.

"Don't get angry at the others Raven, they don't know what you mean by a bad feeling."

"And what would you know about it?" she asked more bitterly than she wanted to. She was definitely angry at Robin for just brushing off her comment so haphazardly.

"I have it too, mine is more instinct than your foresight."

"Oh. Sorry for being a little harsh there."

"Don't worry about it. That's just who you are, and I like you." Beast Boy then realized what he had just said and tried to cover his tracks. "For who you are! I mean, I love you but um, uh!"

He just shut up then at stared at the ground blushing wildly and leaving a surprised Raven awestruck beside him.

'He likes me?' she thought curiously 'I don't see how, all I ever do is yell. And it's not like I'm good looking or anything.'

She was stuck in her thoughts for a while before she decided she needed the changeling to explain himself.

"Beast Boy?" she asked softly

"Yeah?"

"Why would you like me?"

"Thats a stupid question, your smart, funny, and beautiful." Again his eyes went wide at what he had said aloud and his face turned bright red again.

"I still don't get it though, it's not like we were ever close or anything."

"Things have changed Rae. You have more control over your emotions, and I have control over the beast now. I like to think we helped each other through our rough times and that brought us close even though we didn't know it."

"That's pretty insightful for you."

"Like I said, things change."

They continued to walk down the tunnel in silence with Raven mulling over their conversation. A few minutes passed and Beast Boy just had to ask what was on his mind.

"Raven, do you think that you could ever love me back if maybe I changed?" he had said this sentence with such nervous sorrow as if he feared the answer.

This was the question Raven had bounced back and forth in her head all morning since she saw him in the gym this morning.

"I don't think that's possible Beast Boy." she replied nervously. Beast Boy felt his heart rip into pieces. "Not if I already love you for who you are."

This sentence took a second for Beast Boy to comprehend. Once he did though his face lit up like the fourth of July. He looked over at her smiling widely.

"Really?"

"Yes." she replied staring shyly at the ground blushing slightly.

Beast Boy reached over wrapped her in a big bear hug spinning her around and making her squeak with surprise. Soon though she returned his hug. When they released they looked at each other for a second, then leaned in to kiss each other for the first time. It took a while, but once they finally sopped they both felt it was a wonderful one. They walked hand in hand after that down the long dark tunnel.

"Wow, I wonder what the others are going to think when we tell them."

"I have no idea."

"Maybe we should rename this particular sewer 'the tunnel of love'." he joked

Raven had to give a smile to this joke, she actually found it funny. When Beast Boy saw it he didn't say anything but he did smile even wider if it was possible.

It was then they came to a large cavern underground. The ceiling had to be near 80 feet high. It was pitted with all little holes which stared ominously down on them.

"Beast Boy?" asked Raven nervously.

"Your bad feeling is back too huh?"

"Yeah." she said, relieved to a degree that he felt too.

It was then they noticed what was in the center of the room. There were two figures in the gloom. On was smaller than the other, and the larger one was standing with its back to the two teenagers.

"Hello Titans." came the chilling voice they both recognized. "Where are the others?"

"Slade!" they cried furiously.

Large spotlights which had been installed in the cavern ceiling turned on drowning the whole place in light. The girl that Slade had kidnapped lay kneeling at his feet sniffling. Both Raven and Beast Boy knew she had been the bait to get them to walk into this trap. Beast Boy turned to Raven and said something Slade could not hear. He saw Raven look like she was about to object to what Beast Boy had said but he lunged at Slade before she could get a word in. To recover Slade had to retreat a few feet from the girl as the changeling attacked him in his tiger form. But this was not enough for Beast Boy as he attacked again and again in all forms of animals to get Slade away from her. Soon he was far enough away for Raven to grab her and carry her to the entranceway.

"Come on Beast Boy!" she yelled back at him "We can't take him by ourselves!"

Beast Boy immediately listened to reason and broke off the fight with Slade to join Raven in the tunnel.

"Oh no you don't." said Slade calmly with a chuckle

He snapped his fingers loudly and his drones started to crawl from the ceiling. A few dropped between Beast Boy and Raven. They forced Raven to pull the girl farther into the tunnel to protect her. Beast Boy fought them off but as he tried to get out f the cavern he found a force field blocking his path that he could not break. Unfortunately the drones could though. He attacked them viciously making sure none got passed him.

"Go Raven! Get the others! I'll hold them off!"

"Beast Boy you can't!"

"GO!" when he yelled this he let out a blood curdling howl and transformed into the beast. It stood close to seven feet tall and was incredibly muscular. Now the drones stood no chance. He ravaged them. Raven took off carrying the girl who had now fainted at Beast Boy's howl. Raven felt tears begin to form. She feared greatly for Beast Boy's safety.

First she teleported the girl to the surface, then she went and found each of her teammates and brought them to the cavern where the green one still fought. As soon as they reached the barrier Raven attacked it unmercifully. Unfortunately it was unaffected and threw everything back at Raven launching her down the tunnel a ways.

"Raven!" yelled the others in unison.

They did not have to go get her and see if she was alright because she merely stood up bruised and bloody rushing back to resume her barrage on the door.

"Raven stop!" ordered Robin loudly "Your just going to hurt yourself more."

"How can you say that!" she screamed louder than anyone ad ever heard her. "Beast Boy is in there and we have to get him out!"

"Cyborg. How long will it take you to crack the barrier with that program you made?"

"Maybe five minutes." he said hurriedly. "I'll get to work."

"Thats not good enough!" yelled Raven overflowing with anger and worry. Tears now flowed unimpeded down her face. She ran back over to the wall and started beating it with her fists. Every time she hit it the barrier seared her flesh, but she did not care.

Beast Boy who had been doing so well before in the fight now was getting overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the drones. Tearing and clawing through the masses he made one turn and came face to face with Slade in the crowd who landed a hard kick which sent him flying into the barrier Raven was so far unable to breach. He hit it with a loud thud and dropped to the ground. This caught the attention of all the Titans on the other side. They saw his beaten and bloody body breathing heavily on the floor.

Raven dropped to her knees on the other side of the barrier in front of him. Robin who had been urging Cyborg to work faster stopped and watched along with the metal man. Starfire was off in the back crying her own tears, she was having a hard time grasping the situation.

"Beast Boy!" gasped Raven as she looked over him.

He looked up at her still in his Beast form, and his eyes showed all the pain and sadness he was going through. Then he lifted and hand and pointed to his eye, then his heart, and then to Raven.

'I love you.' he was saying with gestures for he could not speak while the beast.

Raven's tears doubled as she repeated the gesture but said the words with it.

"I love you Beast Boy."

Beast Boy stood shakily still looking into her eyes as if willing for them to tell her what he was thinking. He was attacked from behind then making him give another massive howl. The drones were now climbing over him and trying to subdue him.

"NO!" Raven screamed desperately. She resumed attacking the barrier but now her hands were getting bloody from their assault.

"Starfire!" yelled Robin "Stop Raven from hurting herself!"

Starfire nodded and ran up behind Raven wrapping her in a big bear hug thoroughly restraining her. Now Raven began to yell at Starfire for stopping her. Starfire just closed her eyes and let her tears fall.

"Now dear child we wouldn't want you to hurt yourself now would we."

Slade came out of the shadows on the other side of the barrier. Beast Boy ad his hands full on the other side of the cavern with the drones.

"Let him go!" screamed the empath wildly, her eyes glowing dangerously.

"Now we can't have that, but don't worry, I won't let them kill him. I need him for my plan."

"What is your plan Slade?" asked Robin angrily

"Well what fun would it be if it wasn't a secret."

Raven had heard enough now. "I swear to god Slade if I ever get my hands on you I'm going to rip you limb from limb!"

"Dear girl, you of all people should be thanking me! I had to make the decision between whether I wanted to do this to Beast Boy or to you. Lucky for you I had figured the boy would be much easier to break once I get him worn out enough here. Maybe once I'm through with him I will put you through the same thing if that is what you want."

Raven scowled the whole time Slade spoke, but Starfire knew better than to release her.

"Beast Boy is much stronger than you think."

"And what makes you so sure of that?"

"You don't know him like I do."

As she finished the sentence Beast Boy slammed into Slade's side driving him into the wall of the cavern. Raven saw the masses of destroyed robots and the handful that were left hold off as Slade no battled the beast. In any other situation Raven knew that even Slade was no match for Beast Boys strongest form, but now he had lost large amounts of blood, was tired from all the fighting, and looked as if that last attack on Slade robbed him of the rest of his energy.

Slade took advantage of Beast Boy's disabilities and began to beat the day lights out of him. Raven could barely watch as Beast Boy fell to the ground in front of her. He tried to stand again but his strength failed him and he fell back to the ground. He looked up at Raven with his emerald eyes. Again he made the 'I love you' motions again.

"I love you too." whispered Raven softly

"How touching, this explains why you were so desperate to save your little green friend, or should I say, little green lover!" Slade chuckled at this and glanced down at Beast Boy who was making a second attempt to stand. This time though Slade kicked him across the face sending a spray of blood with his head to the ground unconscious.

"You Bastard!" yelled Raven, who's comment only increased Slade's laughing.

"Well kids it's been fun, but now I must go, for I believe you are only a mere twenty seconds short of breaking my barrier." This comment made Cyborg glare in surprise and anger. "I shall see you all very soon should Beast Boy cooperate with me. But I will say I cannot guarantee his safety while in my care. Hmhmhmhmmm." While still laughing he turned and disappeared through the other side of the cavern with the drones carrying Beast Boy behind him. As soon as the barrier cracked and broke the whole cavern began to shake and crumble. Slade, living up to his reputation had everything planned out perfectly.

"Come on! We have to get out of here!" yelled Robin hurriedly. He ran down the tunnel followed by Starfire who still held Raven, and then by Cyborg. They reached the surface just before the whole thing caved in. The police had already found the little girl and the paramedics were treating her.

"Starfire, Cyborg, take Raven back to the tower; I'll brief the cops and join you then. We have to sort out whats going on."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Starfire flew above the T-car while Cyborg drove a completely spaced out Raven in the passenger seat. After Slade had disappeared, she had gone eerily quiet. Her eyes did not even move as she stared off into nothingness. They reached the tower shortly after and they had to carry the unresponsive empath into the medical lab to treat her injuries. Starfire helped dress the massive amounts of cuts and abrasions she had gotten when her attack on the barrier backfired. They covered her entire torso and Starfire was the only girl in the tower so the gruesome job landed on her. Cyborg took over for the rest off her. This included her torn up hands, and the large gash on her leg she most likely got when she hit the ground. When they were done Starfire carried Raven into the common room and set her on the couch. Cyborg went out to his car to clean up the stains from Raven's blood on the seat.

Starfire sat in a chair next to Raven. They both heard the door slam as Robin entered in the front of the tower, but the Tamaranian was the only one to acknowledge it. It had begun to rain out, and it showed on a soaked team leader. Starfire got up and went to greet Robin, but he merely walked past her and over to Raven. He leaned over to her but she still stared at the floor.

"I know you can hear me Raven. I'm going to go get cleaned up, when I'm done, you better be able to tell me what happened down there."

He left without another word. Starfire went off to follow him after putting a reassuring hand on Raven's shoulder for a moment. This left Raven all alone in the common room. She could hear Robin, but it did not matter, she wasn't listening. She was lost in her own mind which had turned into a tumultuous upheaval. She had found love and in mere minutes it had been taken from her. She had never felt more alone.

Robin, known for his punctuality walked in front of Raven shortly after leaving. Now he seemed calmer but still stern. He pulled the chair Star was sitting in before around in front of her as if he was going to interrogate her. Starfire sat beside Raven as if there to keep Robin in check. He usually got into got into moods like these when missions did not go this way.

"Raven?" he said rather gently for his actions which was the only reason Raven looked up at him. If he had spoken to him harshly like she had expected him to she would have immediately gone to lock down and never had said a word. "I need you, if it's possible right now, for you to tell me what happened today that caused you to obey a direct order. I need to know anything that will explain why Slade would only want Beast Boy out of all of us. If you can't, we'll let it be for now but anything at all will only help us find Beast Boy."

Starfire never said a word but she nodded her head approvingly at what Robin had said. It was not beyond reasonable logic that she had prepped him on how to address Raven, because Starfire, if anything had an understanding of what Raven was going through ad how her mind worked. Raven returned her gaze to the floor. Robin figured this was all he was going to get out of her for now. He made to get up, but when Raven began to speak he returned to his previous posture.

"It all started this morning, when I went to get him from the gym to play video games with Cy..." she then went on to explain everything that had happened since then.

By the time she was done she had let go and was sobbing into her hands with Starfire trying her best to comfort her. Certain parts of the story, like Raven and Beast Boy's first kiss had made Robin uncomfortable, but it was some of the other parts that concerned him. He just figured as the leader he should have been able to see these things coming. He watched his dark friend cry hopelessly and felt such a burning urge to find his arch nemesis Slade and just beat his brains out that his fists clenched in rage.

"Raven, I need you to be strong for Beast Boy. We will find him, and when we do, we will give Slade his just deserved."

He said this with such malice that Starfire winced at the sound of it. But she knew this had all gotten very personal. She was also confident that she could calm Robin down before he did anything rash.

'And it's probably better Raven is the depressed one and not the furious one.' she thought on the bright side of things, even though it was still a very dark thought in itself. 'Also I am very happy friend Raven has most control over her powers otherwise I believe our home would no longer be like it is.'

"Thank you Raven." said the leader of Teen Titans appreciatively before getting up and going to his room to research anything there was to on Slade that e may not have already seen already, and come up with a plan to bring their green friend home.

Starfire stayed and comforted Raven till her sobs slowly subsided and she fell asleep on the couch. Starfire then left to go see how Robin was doing.

Cyborg stayed out in the garage for the whole night still having trouble coping with the fact of Beast Boy's absence.

If anything, Raven could use a good night's sleep, but it seemed that was something her mind would not let her have. It was plagued with nightmares of Beast Boy being tortured and dieing; and the chains, chains being torn apart making hard scraping and creaking noises that left ringing in her ears. The chains were pulled and twisted till they broke. They were then melted down and Raven dreamed herself falling into their molten pools of metal and slag. The worst part of it all was she could not wake up from the nightmare till the morning.

Beast Boy did not awake from his unconsciousness the whole night. He was not aware of where Slade had his drones bring him. He did not awaken when they chained him hanging from the ceiling in a small concrete cell with no windows and only one large metal door. He was not aware of the fact he had changed back into a human, and that the following days would bring his sanity to the breaking point.

The next day brought cloudy skies and a tense atmosphere around the tower. But Beast Boy had no way of knowing. He stirred around nine in the morning to the sound of the heavy door to his room swinging open to reveal a rather smug looking Slade. It took a bit for his haziness and grogginess to wear off and once it did his situation became all too clear.

"Good morning Beast Boy, how are we this morning?" the sheer glee in the madman's voice rekindled Beast Boy's rage from the day before and without thinking he growled and lunged at Slade only to be yanked to a sudden stop when they were at their length. He still struggled hopelessly to get farther, and as if to taunt him Slade walked up just out of his reach.

"You should save your energy child, or you might make this all too easy for me."

"What do you ant with me?" he asked angrily.

"Oh it is so simple I am surprised I did not think of it sooner." as he spoke he paced back and forth in front of the changeling. "I am going to break you. Physically if necessarily, but more importantly, mentally. I believe if I destroy your mind, it will only be a matter of time before your friends fall to pieces. I may even get some vital information from you on each of them before I am done."

"I will never give in to you, or anyone for that matter. And my friends are not so weak as to fall apart from one of your pathetic little schemes."

This comment earned him a quick punch from Slade.

"Now now Beast Boy, while you are here you will use your manners when addressing me." He again stood just out of reach before continuing. "And how about I show you how your friends are doing right now? Hm?"

One of his drones wheeled in a little TV and turned it on. It was a security camera view of the common room at the tower.

"I believe you vaguely remember Raven's attacks on the barrier which separated you two yesterday? Well I think you should know that was a against a direct order by Robin, and we all know how much he enjoys insubordination."

He fast forwarded to Raven sitting on the couch with Starfire next to her, and Robin in front of them.

"I will leave it muted for I believe the words said will only provoke more unruly behavior, and are not suitable for children."

"You're lying through your teeth Slade." said Beast Boy confidently, never taking his eyes off of his love. He could not get over how many bandages she had on. "Robin would never say anything like that to Raven."

"Are you so sure of that?" said Slade in a monotone. He fast forwarded again till Robin left and Raven was crying uncontrollably. Beast Boy could feel his heart rip in two at her pain. But he would not let himself believe that Robin would be that cruel. He knew how Slade worked.

"I will not break for you!" he said again turning form the little screen. He committed the angle the camera was shooting from to memory so if or when--'When, when I get out of here I can help get rid of it.' he thought correcting himself.

Again a fist impacted his face and left him dizzy, only this time it was followed by a knee to the gut.

"It is only a matter of time, you are the weakest link in the team. You will break," he leaned in at for the next part till he was only inches from Beast Boy's face, "and I will enjoy every scream you make."

Beast Boy mustered the sense enough to at least spit in his soon to be torturers face if not make a comment. This only got him another beating, only this time it lasted longer and Slade seemed to more emphasis on each attack. By the time he was done Beast Boy was bleeding from his face, and his stomach felt inside out.

"I will be back in an hour, prepare yourself, because then is when the fun begins." With that he left and the heavy steel door slammed behind him.

The green teen was left to silence and his own thoughts.

'I will not fall to him!' he thought angrily. 'I will die before I do.' That thought seemed uncomfortably possibly at this time. "Raven." he said aloud. "I love you, and I will never forget you." With that said he went to his own form of meditation to get himself prepared for whatever Slade had in store for him.

Back at the tower Raven had already woken up and was making herself a cup of tea when Beast Boy's voice floated into her head. "Raven, I love you and I will never forget you." This made her drop her cup and it shattered on the floor. With the cup her silence and depression broke and she felt a fire begin to burn inside of her.

'I will find you Beast Boy just be strong!' she thought excitedly. She left, completely forgetting her tea, to go find Robin ad help him search for Beast Boy.

'Oh Slade, you will pay. You will pay.' she mused furiously as she moved down the hallway, her cloak flowing menacingly behind her.

Once she did they moved to the common room and used the computer there to do their research for the rest of the day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Slade watched them as they searched for him. This was causing a problem for him, he had not planned for them to regroup so quickly.

'No matter. The green one will break soon enough, and then they will wish they never found him.'

He left his chair in front of the large monitor where he viewed all the cameras he had around the tower. He might as well get started. It had been an hour and he was sure to keep his word with the changeling.

As he entered the cell he was greeted by two cold emerald eyes. The sudden change in character caught him off guard for only a moment, but enough for Beast Boy to notice. Slade soon recovered and quickly got to work. There had been enough surprises for him. He was not going to let this plan fail. He rolled a small cart which had a cassette player on it, and some small assorted items on it. These included, to Beast Boy's dismay; brass knuckles, various knives, an electric iron, and pictures of each of his friends. Slade popped a tape into the player and very scratchy, and out-of-tune piano music began to play. (like from Marilyn Manson's Obsequey-The Death of Art, if any of you have ever heard it)

"Now," he said coldly, turning to face his prisoner, "Let us begin."

Raven and Robin searched as hard as they could for anything unusual that might lead them to Slade. When they came up with nothing Robin slammed his fists on the keyboard in frustration knowing that time was of the essence.

"What haven't we tried yet Robin! There is nothing unusual anywhere!"

"Let's get a map of the sewer system we were in, Slade left to the West, let's see how many different ways he could have gone from there."

Raven had taken over on the computer for Robin because his hands were cramping from typing so much. This was a lot coming from her because of how hard it was for her to type from how bandaged and painful her hands were.

"Dammit." she said loudly as the map appeared on the large screen.

It was a maze of interconnecting tunnels and service passageways. Slade could have gotten anywhere from anywhere.

"This can't be happening! We have to find Beast Boy."

"We will, don't worry. We can still narrow this down. Remove all passageways blocked by the cave in."

Raven typed as fast as she could, and large hole where the fighting took place, along with most of the surrounding area disappeared.

"Now get rid of all the tunnels cut off from the west exit of the cavern."

Again she typed in the command and almost a quarter of the remaining paths were removed.

"What else could have made it absolutely impossible for Slade to use some of these tunnels."

"We," started Raven in a shaky voice, "We can start by getting rid of all the tunnels that lead out of the city."

"Slade is a creature of habit so it is reasonable to think he would not leave all together."

"And, because if he has left the city there is really no hope of finding him, or Beast Boy." A single tear ran down her cheek at the thought.

Robin had tried to avoid that act for just that reason. Raven typed in the command and many more choices were removed. Now there was a manageable amount of tunnels to deal with. By now it was the end of the day and no chance for them to check any of the passageways. Raven would have argued but Robin made it clear they would not venture down there at night. Instead he sent her to go find Starfire so she could help her re wrap her hands. He had noticed that as she forced herself to keep typing the wounds on her hands had reopened.

She left without much more trouble for two reasons, one she did not have the strength to put up a good argument and two, she suddenly had a terrible feeling hit her. As she walked to go find Starfire she gasped as she heard Beast Boy in is head again, 'I will not break, help me Raven, I will die before I break for him.'

She did the first thing that came to mind when she heard him, she answered.

'Hold on Beast Boy, I love you and I will find you.' With that she continued on her way to find the tamaranian girl.

In a concrete box, somewhere where Slade was positive no titan would find him, hung Beast Boy.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was another dreary morning, and same as the last one, Beast Boy had no way of telling. He opened eyes quickly and was unsurprised to find that hanging from the ceiling by your wrists was not a comfortable way to sleep, or pass out, whichever way you looked at it.

"Damn." was all he could say as he surveyed the room to find it was unchanged and the cart Slade had used was still there.

It sickened him to look at it. All the 'tools' as Slade called them had found use in yesterday's 'exercises'. The brass knuckles had some blood hardened on them along with the knives. The electric iron on the other hand found substantial use.

_Flashback_

_"Now Beast Boy struggling will only make the cut that much more unruly." coaxed Slade menacingly._

_None the less, Beast Boy writhed to find a way to get away from the large dagger or to get in at least one attack on his torturer. Slade lost his patience rather quickly and just slashed Beast Boy from his shoulder to below his chest. He clenched his teeth shut and allowed only a growl to pass from his lips. The blood immediately flowed down his front making Beast Boy feel even weaker. Blood was vital right now for Beast Boy's survival._

_"Don't worry my child, I won't let you bleed to death, I want to keep you alive."_

_Beast Boy only glared at his thoughts being so easily deduced. Slade got the iron which had already heated up considerably and returned to close the wound. Pressing it to the changeling's chest the skin seared and burned but effectively stopped the bleeding. All of course at the cost of indescribable pain. Beast Boy's breathing was left ragged and dazed. _

_"Now let us try this again, only in a more strategic spot." _

_'I do not like the sound of that.' thought Beast Boy hopelessly._

_End Flashback_

This string of methodical slashes and burning was intermittently spaced by a savage beating with the brass knuckles.  
'But I did not scream for him.' he thought delightedly.

The pain was something he could deal with, it was the pictures he had a hard time dealing with. Slade would take them and have him say the name of the particular Titan, and then he would go on rants and raves about how Beast Boy was nothing to them and only a burden. The blood was from one little exercise that tormented Beast Boy incredibly.

Slade took the knife and a picture, and asked a question.

"_Where would you like me to cut them, hmm?"_

Beast Boy visibly shivered. Slade would then cut him and let him bleed on the picture. Raven's picture was the hardest to deal with, Slade lingered a long time on that one.

'It's working, he's getting to me!' he thought panicky. 'I can't let him do that!'

Beast Boy struggled with his thoughts till he heard footsteps. They were heavy and slow but methodical in their rhythm, it was Slade. Beast Boy's heart beat faster, moving the small amount of blood he had left. The heavy door opened and in walked the torturer himself. Wheeling the small TV in with him he seemed ready to get started early today.

"So Beast Boy, how did you sleep? I hope it was better than your team members."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked the chained teen viciously.

"Manners Beast Boy, manners are key." said Slade calmly before he belted the boy across the face for the thousandth time.

"Ha!" yelled Beast Boy suddenly with a crazed look in his eye. "Do you really think that you hitting me is going to break me, you would have a better chance breaking an anvil!"

This outburst only made Slade smile even wider.

"Why no my dear child, you have shown you are strong of body, but just as your poor Raven knows, you are weak of mind."

"What do you mean?" Beast Boy asked, his voice getting dangerously low.

"Well it seems you are troubling the girl's precious sleep, here, see for yourself."

Slade put on the TV and showed the camera view he had in Raven's room. This for one particularly angered Beast Boy at the thought someone was in her room without her knowing. His thoughts were all soon transfixed on the screen as Raven tossed and turned in her bed restlessly all night. There was no noise for the whole time he watched for it had been muted as a part of Slade's plan.

"Don't worry Raven, I'll be home soon." said Beast Boy never taking his eyes off the screen.

"Pitiful." said Slade with a chuckle. "Each and every one of you foolish kids."

Slade's sermon was cut short as a drone came to his side through the door and whispered something into his ear. Slade smiled and narrowed his eyes at Beast Boy who could only glare in return.

"It seems some of your friends are here for a visit," he said almost gleefully. He changed the channel on the screen and I now showed a dimly lit office where Robin and Raven stood looking around. "It seems they think the owner of this building might know where you might be, I guess I will have to go inform them that I do not."

Beast Boy stared wide eyed at the screen but couldn't say a word. He was torn between them finding him and them getting hurt at the hands of Slade. His mind went into shock and he was paralyzed, still watching the TV screen.

Robin and Raven stood in the office, neither of whom felt very comfortable in its dank confines. They had followed their first lead which was a passageway that ended near the docks. Cyborg and Starfire were checking other tunnel endings. By the end of the day they would have checked all of them and hopefully have something to go off of.

Raven wrapped herself in cloak hiding all of hr bandages from view. Little did she know she was being watched by Beast Boy. Robin was about to say something when a large man entered through the office door.

"Robin and Raven I presume, how nice it is to meet you both."

"Nice to meet you too sir," said Robin politely shaking the man's large hand "If you don't mind we have some questions we would like to ask you."

"Of course I wouldn't mind."

The camera angle was from behind the desk towards the door. As the man walked past the two titans in the office he winked at the camera letting Beast Boy know it was Slade in disguise. He sat behind the desk and reclined back. Robin went on with the questions for a while and Raven just looked worriedly around hoping to find something that show Beast Boy had been here. Robin finished the questions and shook the man's hand again as he walked to the door and opened it for them.

"I am sorry I could not be more helpful, but I'm certain you will find your green friend, it is only a matter of time."

The tone in which he said that caused Raven to shiver. Beast Boy saw it and knew she never looked more sick. Her eyes were empty of anything other than depression, and she no longer had any hint of a smile that Beast Boy always looked for. Slade looked at her as she walked by and held out his hand for her to shake.

She looked warily at first but then took it with her one bandaged hand. He shook it but hs strong grip caused her to wince in pain slightly.

"Sorry, I guess I, underestimated my own strength." he said slowly.

Raven muttered something and quickly walked away. Beast Boy on the other hand knew he had deliberately hurt her, and was thrashing about in the cell. The man closed the door and nothing more occurred in the office. Beast Boy soon got tired. They were so close, and now they are walking away. He looked up at his bleeding wrists, he felt them now. He took a deep breath and found it painful. Sheer hope had kept him going to this point, but now everything was collapsing about him. All his burns and gashes came into feeling, and his blood loss was now ever apparent. He felt light headed and sick.

Slade entered the room to find a changed Beast Boy, all his fury gone, and only emptiness in it's place. He smirked at the boy.

"Can't you see it now, they will never find you."

When Beast Boy did not answer Slade knew his hope was broken, maybe not him, but it was definitely a large crack in his mental armor.

"What, no snide remarks, no insult to my plans, no remark on how your lover will find you?"

Not even a breath past beyond Beast Boy's lips. Slade's smile only grew larger.

"Well then let us begin with today's exercises."

Raven and Robin left the docks and met up with the other two Titans back at the tower. They went through the list of all the passageways that were left and split up again to check them. By the end of the day all of them were exhausted and depressed. They couldn't find any trace of either Beast Boy or Slade.

In the pit of Raven's stomach, a great cold feeling of dread began to fill the emptiness Beast Boy had filled, even if he only did it completely for a short time, the emptiness was still there. He had always been there filling the hole. Neither of them knew it as their feelings grew until the other day. But now all the happiness was shattered, and the shards were shredding Raven's heart with each passing minute.

These thoughts swam around in the pale girl's head as she collapsed on her bed. She was more than tired enough to fall asleep, but her mind was not allowing it.

'What haven't we done to find Beast Boy?' she asked herself.

'There has to be something we missed, or..' she paused in thought for a second, "or is he really gone?"

Not even a moment passed as the words left her lips that tears poured down her cheeks.

"NO!" she yelled to the silence around her. "I will not give up on him! He would never give up and neither will I!"

She let the tears fall silently for a while before her sobbing returned at her lack of direction in finding Beast Boy. Raven felt the wounds on her hands oven up as she wiped her eyes, but she no longer cared. Only Beast Boy mattered. In the midst of her crying she fell into a troubled sleep that would only play the events of the day over and over.

Beast Boy still hung from the ceiling of his dank and dirty cell. Only instead of having a sense of sarcasm about him he just hung. Slade had spent the entire day just talking, but the talking hurt more than any knife could. Slade took every one of Beast Boy's good memories and twisted them. For Beast Boy's horrible memories Slade would play them out in great detail. When Beast Boy asked how he knew about certain things the only response he got was a chuckle.

The changeling felt his mind cracking. Seeing his friends walk away when they were so close opened a seam, but it was enough for Slade to slip in and pry it open.

'I know they're coming for me, I know it.' he assured himself warily.

'No they are not.'

The second voice was not his own, but Slade's. It was imprinted into his brain. No matter what good thought beast boy had to think the voice was there to crush it. Slowly but surely Beast Boy sank into depression and silence. Beast Boy did not fall asleep, he ore or less just passed out into a terrible sleep of hellish nightmares with 'the voice' there to egg on the horror show.

Slade watched him in the camera satisfied with what he was seeing in the green Titan's attitude.

'Finally,' he thought, 'something about this goes right to plan.'

He had left Beast Boy a while ago to work on his 'new toy' as he called it. It was finished now and Slade could not be in a better mood. He watched the computer screens as they showed numerous cameras and other assorted things.

'At last, my plan is complete, and soon the Titan's will pay.'

* * *

Author's Note: Hey, to those who sent the reviews, thanks. Thi is my first fanfiction, more reviews would be good. Tell me what you really think too. I'm pretty sure I know how I want this to go, but I'm open for some suggestions. Thanks again


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Never before had so much depression, fear, and anxiety surround Titan's Tower. It hung like a thick fog that dominated wherever you were. Starfire, now overcome by grief walked about the tower silently and aimlessly now that her joy which let her fly had vaporized. Cyborg had more or less confined himself to the garage where he said he was 'working', but all he really was doing was staring blankly at his latest blueprints unable to muster the get-go needed to start working. Every once in a while a tear left his human eye only to fall onto the concrete floor. Robin sat in front of the giant screen in the common room also with a blank stare. He had sat there for four hours and had not moved at all. It was as if his brain had just quit after running out of ideas.

Raven was in no better shape. She sat on the edge of oblivion. She was stuck somewhere between violent self loathing and absolute mental damnation. An hour ago she went through an anger spurt and annihilated her room to the point that very few things were recognizable. Now she lay on the floor amongst the debris bleeding from reopened wounds with her eyes half closed. Her breathing was almost nonexistent as only thoughts of Beast Boy and where to find him filled her mind.

All her memories of Beast Boy ran through her thoughts, filled them to the brim. Then they overflowed with the idea she would never see him again. Soon went the memories of the past few days. They were agonizing to remember. As soon as they left, the search for BB took its turn. These were almost on repeat as if her mind as looking for something they missed at the time.

The most common section was when they questioned the man down by the docks in the office. She had an instinctive feeling tat something was not right there. From the time the man walked in to the time he left she did not notice anything abnormal. Until she noticed in the reflection of the man in the glass on a picture frame on the wall he winked at something. Again the memory ran through. This time she saw the camera in the corner.

"Why would he do that?" she said aloud.

It was then she noticed that the red light that said recording next to it was not on, but the power light was. It was transmitting, but not recording. This made no sense to Raven and it woke her from her pit of despair. She made her way quickly to Robin who was still in the same position in front of the screen. She nearly ran over to him and told him what she remembered.

"That's strange, but still real thin." He said uneasily.

"I know but can you look into that business for me anyways. It's all we have."

Robin nodded his head agreeing. With typing skills unmatched he furiously brought up all the records of the business.

"Nothing strange here, Vintex Industries, been there for two years now. No problems or complaints, and their paperwork is in pristine order. Look," he said pointing at the screen, "Manager: Mr. Edward Srendle. The same man we met."

"Can you do a background check on him."

"Raven, I doubt we will find anything"

"I cannot lose him Robin, if I do…." She said darkly with tear rolling down her pale cheek.

He exhaled heavily and resumed typing bringing up Srendle's ID picture and his history. Robin's eyes widened at what he saw, Raven however had her eyes shut trying to control herself.

"Um, Raven?" He said shakily.

"Yes?" she replied opening her eyes and received the same shock Robin did.

"That's not the man we met."

It was true, the man they met before was tall and thin with dirty blonde hair, The man in the picture was shorter and rather large with oily black hair. Both of them stared for quite a while till Raven finally spoke.

"We have to go, quickly, I don't think we have much time!"

Filled with newfound hope and energy Robin summoned the others and they rocketed off to the docks to go check out this new lead.

Had Slade been watching the monitors he would have been alerted ahead of time, but he was preoccupied with the final stages of his plot. Beast Boy was hanging on to the final strands of his sanity. Slade paced the floor in front of the green Titan laughing maniacally at his condition. Beast Boy was having arguments with himself aloud an Slade found them quite amusing.

"They will find me."

"No they won't."

"They have to."

"Stupid Idiot, they'd be better off without you."

"But they're my friends."

"They never were your friends, can't you see that!"

"But Raven said she-"

"Raven is dead! You saw her condition."

Now his mind warped his memory of her to the point she looked near death and only moving because Robin made her. Reality was impossible for Beast Boy to determine. Possibly with a full body of blood, less pain, and some food nourishment he would be able to, but not then.

Slade had never been more entertained in his life, an he had ever been as proud. He had broken someone's mind, and a Teen Titan's mind at that. He felt indestructible.

It was then a loud explosion shook the building causing Slade to whirl around to the doorway in surprise. More sounds followed in the recognizable starbolt whiz, the sonic cannon boom, the bow staff breaking Slade Bot's, and black magic tearing things to pieces.

Slade turned and looked at the pathetic figure beneath him who seemed oblivious to the battle going on outside the cell for his freedom. Even though he had not expected them to show up, the madman still smirked.

"You know Beast Boy, sometimes they show up right when they're needed, other times they are just too late."

He stood there staring at the boy for quite a while till a voice with such venom reached his ears that if Slade didn't know better would say it wasn't capable of being human.

"Where is he Slade?! Tell me or I will destroy you in the most painful way possible without another thought."

"My, my, my Raven so anxious to see our lover, yet so unprepared for the sight. That is so unlike you. No matter, here he is for you."

Up to this point he had been blocking Beast Boy from her view till he turned and stepped to the side. Raven gasped at the sight o him. She more frightened then than she had been at any other point in her life. Anyone could tell the green one was down to his final hours. This deviation from Raven's attention for Slade to Beast Boy allowed him enough time to take a knife from hs belt and throw it at Raven striking her in the abdomen. Her eyes never left Beast Boy as she sank to her knees and blood ran from her new wound.

Slade strolled up next to her and whispered into her ear on the way out, "I told you you'd see him very soon." After he was done he left, undetected by the other Titan's who were still trying to catch up and destroy all the bots. Raven watched Beast Boy argue with himself and felt her heart sink unbearably. Before she fell completely to the floor she mustered one more I love you, just loud enough that it cut through all of Beast boy's other thoughts and began to add Raven's voice into the mix.

That was how the three other Titan's found them, Raven unconscious on the floor, and Beast Boy chained from the ceiling now arguing with himself in his brain. Starfire rushed over and broke Beast Boy out of his chains immediately with Robin helping to tend to him so she did not do anymore damage to his now frail form. Cyborg took care of Raven and began to treat her knife wound with brotherly care. Worry for ever seeing Beast Boy was gone and was replaced with fear for both of their survivals.

"We have to get them back to the tower NOW!" said Cyborg hurriedly.

Robin nodded knowingly. They gathered up the two, and headed back to the tower. Starfire flew back carrying Beast Boy limply in her arms. She fly on the fact she found BB and that was enough to get him and her home. Robin followed on the R-cycle after giving directions to the police for sweeping the area and cleaning up. Cyborg drove Raven back with her laying in the passenger's seat reclined as far as it could go. He glanced over at her occasionally as he broke most of the traffic laws on the books getting her back. At one he point he looked over at her and said, "Come on Raven you have to hang in there, you're not the type to give in. Neither was Beast Boy, you guys can't qut now that we are so close, you just can't."

He knew she could not hear him and he said it more for his own sake than for hers. She did not make a movement or sound the entire trip back and Cyborg knew they were going to be in for a long night. The outcome of which would most definitely determine the future of the Teen Titan's; or if there was to even be a future.


	7. Author's Note

I never thought I'd be writing one of these authors notes, but there's a first time for everything

I never thought I'd be writing one of these authors notes, but there's a first time for everything. I just want to remind everyone who reads this story I would appreciate it if you could review, I just want to pick your brains, any thoughts at all regarding the story would be wonderful. You reviews are helpful at letting me know there is some interest in my story.

Thank You


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Beast Boy was the first of the two injured to arrive in the Titan's med bay. Flown by Starfire they covered ground much quicker than Cyborg. Though seemingly shallow by some Starfire did know enough to hook Beast Boy into the life support machines after she put him carefully in one of the beds.

The machine began to hum slightly and a heart beat was soon registered on the screen along with all of the changeling's other vitals. Unfortunately they also showed how faint and shallow they really were. His heart seemed to be working in slow motion it was going so slow. Every time it beeped in response to a beat of his now frail heart Starfire held her breathe in apprehension of the next one.

While she watched Beast Boy's chest rise and fall barely at all while waiting for the others to arrive she almost fell into a trance where the only thing that she thinks of all was what was going to happen to him, to Raven, and to the team.  
Suddenly the med bay doors sprung open with Robin leading the charge of a fast speaking Cyborg who was carrying a now convulsing empathy in his arms. Starfire had jumped at the sudden shattering of the tense atmosphere which was replaced by sheer desperation and urgency.

While Robin ran around gathering the things needed to treat both of Beat Boy's and Raven's wounds, Cyborg laid her down on the bed right next to the green teen's bed.

"What happened to her?" asked Starfire worriedly as she tried to approach Raven who was shaking uncontrollably, only to be blocked by Robin.

"She regained consciousness just as we pulled up," said the mechanical teen without stopping as he hooked up an I.V. to Beast Boy's arm, "then she muttered something I couldn't understand and collapsed into this fit."

"Starfire, I want you to step outside while we treat them, it might get messy. I also need you to go alert Titans East and see if they can cover for us." Said Robin sternly.

Starfire did not get offended because she understood the gravity of the situation. She whipped around and headed out into the hallway but before she got too far Robin called from behind her, "If they are busy call the Justice League and tell them to send assistance!"

Cyborg glanced up at their fearless leader as he began to try to restrain Raven so he could work on her injury which was still bleeding. He knew from his medical training that you never remove a knife until you are able to treat it, but one she started to convulse he had or she would have ended up hitting on something and driving it in deeper.

She began to gasp for breath and her face contorted in pain as writhed around. At the sound from the table next to him, Beast Boy's ears twitched and he moaned a little.

'That sounds like Raven! She sounds hurt!' he shouted in is mind.

'Yes, she is.' Came Slade's voice. 'And it's your fault, you did this to her. It will be your fault when she dies!'

'I would never do anything to hurt her! I love Raven!'

'But she doesn't love you back! Can't you see that you pathetic worm. No one could love you, you are disgusting excuse for a being!'

There was silence in Beast Boy's mind for a few seconds. He had been arguing with this voice in his head since his third day with Slade, and it had broken his mind's attempts at regaining his soul. At this point he did not have it, and because of it he was only wasting away from his injuries unable to heal himself at all. But Slade's voice had triggered something else in the teen's mind. He remembered, arguing with the voice, and then he heard someone else's. It sounded familiar to him, but Slade's voice yelled loudly trying to drown it out. Now Beast Boy thought of that voice for a moment and tried his hardest to understand what it said, finally he got it.

_'Beast Boy, I love you.'_

'What, no comeback boy? Have I finally gotten you beaten? You really are weak and worthless.'

'To you I may be all of those things, but I know someone loves me, and for her I will not give up.'

'Ha! What are you talking about, you really have gone insane, even god himself could love someone like you.'

'Really, then how do you explain this?' As he thought this Raven's voice came in much louder than Slade's

'Beast Boy, I love you'

'No She doesn't, it is a lie.'

'Beast Boy, I love you'

'No Slade, you are the lie, and I will not listen to you anymore!'

With that a blinding white light suddenly pierced through Beast Boy's mind hushing all voices and giving back his soul and mind. Slowly then it faded and his eyes opened to realization he was in the medical room in the tower now; and with that realization came the recognition of pain. But this meant nothing to him, all he cared about was getting to Raven.

Raven would not calm down for the other Titans and now wit the look of pain on her unconscious face, was a look of fear.

"Robin, we have to do something about this we have to get the sedative in her or I can't do anything."

"I know, I 'm trying to hold her still."

One of Raven's arms escaped Robin's attempts at controlling them and fell to her right side which Beast Boy was on. He mustered what strength he had left and with one heave reached his arm out and grabbed her hand. Almost instantaneously she calmed down and held his hand in return. Both Cyborg and Robin stood dumfounded at what they just saw. Let alone the fact Raven stopped convulsing but somehow Beast Boy's frail, tired and broken body found the strength to reach out to her.

The Changing' emerald eyes held Raven for a moment longer before he returned to the unknown world of the unconscious. But their hands did not let go. Though Raven had calmed down her breathing was shallow and quick. Cyborg and Robin bustled rapidly around the room collecting what they needed to treat their severely injured companions. All the while Robin's eyes kept drifting to the two conjoined hands.

"It's probably best that you don't get them apart anyway, they need all the strength they can get." said Cyborg who injected Raven with anesthetic and began to work on her wounds. Robin helped as best he could, he could feel himself weak with nervousness. He did not want to lose two great friends this night. Before long they had done all they could for the two. They had had to surgically close most of Raven's wounds, but there was little they could do for Beast Boy whose wounds were pretty much sealed anyway. Much to the two acting doctor's disgust they had to open up some of the wounds to fix internal bleeding. They also braced many of his broken bones as they could.

The two washed everything and threw away their bloody gloves in silence. Then Cyborg just had to ask Robin something.

"You gave Starfire permission to contact the Justice League for help?"

"I have no choice and this is serious."

"I know what you are going to have to go through if they come down here to help and I want to tell you that I will vouch for you without another thought."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"You said it."

At that moment Robin's communicator went off. He answered it to see Starfire looking bleakly at him.

"Yeah, what's up Star?" he asked as cheerfully as he could in hopes of lifting her spirit jus a little.

"Robin, I have contacted Titans of East and they say they are unable to offer assistance at this time, but maybe by tomorrow. But the League of Justice will be putting people on patrol around the city."

Robin's face did not show how his stomach had suddenly turned and Cyborg could only watch knowing what going through Robin's mind but not knowing what really to say.

"Thank you Star, you did good." He said.

"Robin, if I may, is it alright if I see our friends now?"

Robin turned to look at Cyborg who was much more qualified to answer the question. The robotic man looked in thought for a second, then said to Robin so that Starfire could not hear, "Let her come in, it may be the last time she will see them alive."

Robin nodded, but the painful truth in the statement stabbed at his heart, and he could see it did the same to Cyborg.

"Come on in Star." he said.

Within a minute Starfire stood amongst her friends staring at the two who lay motionless on the beds. She merely stood there, about 5 feet from them, as if she said or did anything else it would upset the balance and they would suffer more pain or death. Robin watched her and knew it was times like these that Starfire lost whatever naivety she appeared to have in a normal conversation.

Very gradually as she studied her friends broken forms lying helpless on the tabled before her, a smile formed. Not one of her normal joyous and sparkling smiles, but one of slight satisfaction and depression.

"What is it Star?" asked Robin after curiosity got the better of him.

"At least they have each other." She said, and then suddenly her smile left and a shadow seemed to fall across her face. "But I believe that if one goes the other will not be far behind."

Both Robin and Cyborg nodded at this statement. And once again their hearts seemed to plunge with the mention of more bleak truths that were known but avoided.

Robin knew that calling in the Justice League would put his leadership position in serious question, but even if he lost his job with the Titans he would not sneak off and sulk behind work and research, he would be here with his friends till whatever ending befell them.

'The League can kiss my ass for tonight; I am needed more here.' He thought to himself. Once the thought formed and asserted itself he felt his stomach lose its knot, but his heart still hung heavy with worry for his friends.

"Is there anymore we can do for them friend Cyborg?" asked Starfire timidly as she finally looked away from the two.

"We can be here for them Star, and we can hope. That's about all." He answered sadly.

"Then let's prepare for a long night," said Robin sternly, "Because I have no intention of leaving their sides tonight!"

His resolution to be there for his friends seemed to radiate the slightest ray of optimism throughout the room. Starfire pulled a seat up to the foot end of Raven's gurney, and Cyborg pulled one to the end of Beast Boy's bed. Once they had chosen where to sit, Robin pulled his chair in between them all, sat down, bowed his head, and began to pray.

PLEASE REVIEW! Tell me if this is going good!


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Any previous definitions of a long night went out the window by the time the sun began to peak over the far horizon over the city. Also the previous idea of loyal friends was revised and updated.

For a straight six hours the three remaining Titans sat by there friends in silence each to there own thoughts. The only thing that broke them from there thoughts were the occurrences when each of them broke into to tears. Slowly but surely and mental barriers any of them had to showing tears in this event were broken by there own thoughts.

Starfire's broke when she stumbled upon the memories of her and Raven having their 'girl talks'; and when she and Beast Boy would team together to play the mother of all pranks on Cyborg. Her weeping came in very audible wails which brought Robin over to comfort her till she calmed down.

Cyborg was the next to break down in quiet sobs and tears coming from his human eye. He lost it when he remembered when Raven helped him with the T-car, and when he realized all the fights with Beast Boy now seemed so pointless but undoubtedly missed. All the times both of them helped him out, and made him laugh. He could not picture a world without them.

When Robin broke down it was slightly different. He searched his mind for the times when he had the moments of joy with the two injured super heroes. What saddened him the most was he did not have as many as he believed he did. Sure he had the times they went to get pizza, and when they watched movies together. But the majority of his memories were of him being the leader, not their friend. Yelling at them for not training enough, for not doing their chores, and for arguing too much, but few of them were of them actually having friend to friend fun. He realized then he wished that had all been different.

As he sat there, hoping and praying that he would have a chance to change that, silent tears fell down his face. These did not go unnoticed by his fellow Titans, but none said anything. They all knew nothing could be said at this point in time. There many things that should have been said before this happened, and hopefully words could be said to all after it was over, but no was not the time. As their friend's vital signs slowly played on the edge of oblivion, they seemed to be willing them to live with all their hearts and souls.

With all their concentration and focus on praying for the crisis at hand, it was no surprise that the door went unanswered as members from the Justice League banged on the front door requesting entrance to see what was going on.

As they finally gave up and opened the door themselves; Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman began searching for the five teenagers who had to them abandoned the important duty of watching over the city. Wordlessly they searched room by room till they all entered the medical bay to find all five in the same positions they had been for six hours. Robin's communicator had alerted him to their presence in the tower but felt no need to go greet them, he knew they would eventually find them all here.

"Robin," said Batman quite sternly even by his own standards, "You know why we are here."

"Yes, I do." He replied without even turning to acknowledge their entering into the room.

"Well what do you have to say for yourself!" blurted the Green Lantern suddenly.

Robin did not answer but kept his bowed as he continued his concentration on Raven and Beast Boy.

Batman walked over to the machines and began to read the vitals off the screens to himself. Wonder Woman walked over to the side of Raven's bed and studied both the looks on both hers and Beast Boy's faces. Her expression was softened and all her anger at the current situation was whisked away and worry for the kids set in.

Green Lantern merely stood in the doorway as if entering was against every fiber in his being.

"How are they doing," asked Batman after studying the screens for more than a minute.

"You just read the screens," replied Robin, "you should be able to tell."

"I am not asking in light of medical reasoning, I am asking you as there team leader, who knows them better than anyone in these situations, how are they doing."

Robin was silent for a minute before picking his head up, as if he had to finish what he was doing.

"For the past five," he glanced at the clock, "six hours they have been fighting for every second of their lives. I don't know how much longer this will go on for…..or even if it can go on much longer."

Silence followed his statement and again Starfire began to tear up with grief. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying. This time however Wonder woman was there and squeezed her shoulders to giver her some reassurance to some avail.

"Robin, why are they here?" asked Starfire, speaking for the first time in six hours as she slowly stopped her tears.

"We are here," began Batman, "to see if there is any justification behind Robin's decision to abandon his duty to monitor and ensure the safety of Jump City. If there is a justification that is found and is unanimous between the three of us there is no more to worry about. If there is not, then Robin will have to appear before the JL counsel and they will most likely strip him of his job as Titans team leader."

Starfire was silent in surprise at the response she got. Cyborg knew, but hearing it now drove another pain through his heart for another friend of his. Then Starfire realized what could happen to everything she knew and to Robin if things did not go well.

"They cannot do this Robin!" she yelled. "After all that has happened if these evil people find no 'justification' they will only tear us apart farther! THIS IS UNSPEAKABLE!"

By now her eyes were glowing green and the three adults were prepared to immobilize her if necessary. But Robin quickly brought her back to earth.

"Starfire, please quiet down. We need to be strong and focus on Raven and Beast Boy right now."

"How can you stay so calm with this information Robin!" she exclaimed calming down slightly with disbelief.

"Because Raven and Beast Boy are the only thing that matters right now, and their fate is more important than a matter that is out of my hands."

Starfire was slightly shamed by her outburst but was still angry at the whole matter. To her it was as simple as the Justice League rubbing salt into the wounded team. She turned to Cyborg for some support but found none as he looked at her sadly, then she turned to look at Batman.

"Well what is your verdict?" This she said in voice that was dripping with so much venom and hate that it seemed impossible that it could come from somebody like Starfire. It just went to show how much she cared for her friends no matter who upset her.

"Well I have found justification," said Wonder Woman, "I believe they have suffered enough and they all were needed more here than out in the city. What about you Bruce?"

"I believe that Robin has made the correct decision in calling the Titan's East to cover for them, and when that could not be done, he again made the correct decision in calling the league in. There is justification here in what you have done. Your friends need you more. They need you here; together, where you are strongest."

Up till this point hearts were being lifted and the teens thought that maybe one heavy burden might be lifted off their shoulders. But unfortunately they had forgotten about Green Lantern who still stood in the doorway.

"Well I do not find justification in leaving city of tens of thousands for the lives of two. You left the city in great peril, which your job is here to prevent."

"But nothing happened!" yelled Starfire which brought Robin to hush her again.

"But something could have, and where then would you be! This cannot go unpunished! I will see you all at the counsel meeting in three days!"

With that he stormed out of the tower and flew off. This left the tower, if possible, bleaker than when they showed up only fifteen minutes before. Wonder Woman gave Starfire one last encouraging squeeze before going after the departed hero in an attempt to persuade him otherwise.

Batman walked over to Robin and put his hand on his shoulder.

"We will keep a watch over the city for you. Just do your best to hold together, things can only be dark before they get brighter."

With those words he left them to their thoughts again. Instead of giving them hope it only made them question, how dark will it get, and how bright will be the light in the end?

Off to the East the sun rose, yet it brought no warmth to the room that had seen enough despair and anguish for an eternity which the Titans now occupied in silent grieving hope.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The official summon for Robin to appear before the counsel arrived the next day. It surprised the Titans how quickly they moved on complicated matters such as these. It arrived via Batman returning to tell them they could not sway Green Lantern's decision. Bad news hit the Titans every time they thought they were going to catch a break Beast Boy and Raven had not improved but their conditions had not worsened at all over the course of a day. So the end was in sight.

"I don't get it!" said Starfire angrily at hearing the news. "I remember meeting him once and he seemed like a very nice person."

"He left his post on a mission a few months ago, and almost caused it to fail. The counsel hit him hard for that," informed Batman gravely, "he seems to be trying to show the injustice of it by making you go through it."

"That doesn't sound like my man GL at all," said Cyborg sadly.

"The incident changed him mentally. I think he has been losing faith in the league since the counsel was started."

"What is up with this counsel anyway?" asked Robin as he got up and stretched from his seat in the med lab.

"It is like a higher court for super heroes."

"It sounds like they aren't too lenient with anyone."

"With great power comes great responsibility. They think they are fair."

"Do you think they are fair?"

Silence followed this question and everyone got the hint. This demolished any hopes Robin had of getting off lucky.

"Well I am going with you buddy," said Cyborg strongly clapping a hand on Robin's shoulder for support.

"I wish to go to," said Starfire, "but who will monitor our friends?"

"I'm sure they've stabilized to the point we can leave them," Said Cyborg confidently double checking their vitals as he said it. But he could also see the reluctance to leave her injured friends alone.

"But I will be monitoring their conditions the whole time and Titan's East will be on call and checking in if anything happens, okay?"

Starfire nodded her head slowly seeing the logic in his argument.

"Come on," said Batman from, the doorway, "We have to leave soon if we want to be on time."

Both Robin and Cyborg followed him out quickly, but Starfire stayed behind for a few minutes. Although aware the odds Raven and Beast Boy would awaken in their absence was almost impossible, she decided to leave a handwritten copy of the summons by the bedside just in case. She did not know why, but she had a nagging feeling that it was a good thing to do.

Only a few minutes after freshening up quickly the four left for the Justice League headquarters. The whole trip there was silent and the tension mounted as they drew ever closer to their destination.

Batman led them through a maze of corridors till they reached an elevator onto which they boarded. The group was still silent as the elevator dropped lower and lower. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of rising anxieties, it stopped and the doors opened revealing a long waiting room which had an aisle down the center leading to two large doors.

"I'm guessing there is where we're headed," said Starfire nervously as she pointed to the unwelcoming doors.

Batman merely nodded and led them down till they reached the doors and stopped.

"Robin," he started, "In all honesty I believe you did the right thing, and in your heart and mind that is all that should truly matter."

Robin nodded before taking a breath and pushing open the door before him. It was heavy and it took a slight heave to move at first. Once it opened he walked in and took a quick look around.

Before him sat the counsel on a Supreme Court style arrangement of thirteen counsel members who sat stoically watching him and his friends as they approached the simple table and chairs that was set up for them. All around they could feel the eyes of most the Justice League as they sat in the arena style bleachers surrounding the room. The bleachers were shaded so they could not be identified clearly.

Taking their seats before the counsel men the teenagers sat down and Batman joined the crowd above waiting for the proceedings to begin.

"Stand Robin of the Teen Titans," commanded one of the men and Robin obeyed.

"Do you understand the implications being brought against you at this time due to events occurring over the last few days?"

"I do," replied Robin sternly regaining some composure from Batman's speech before entering.

"Be seated and we will review the events which have called your leadership into serious question."

And so began the dealings of the counsel which would decide the fate of Robin leading the Titans for good.

Back at the medical bay the first thing Raven noticed upon regaining consciousness was the distinct buzzing of the machines monitoring her condition. Very slowly she began to open her eyes and let them adjust to the fluorescent lights above her. She could do little more than moan as the pain hit her next. She thought back to what she could remember and the memories soon came back to her. The fighting with the Slade Bots and finding Beast Boy in the basement of that building all flashed through her mind.

"Beast Boy!" she exclaimed weakly as she tried to maneuver herself around to get a better look around her.

She tried to roll over but something was holding her right hand and preventing her from doing so. She rolled to see what was preventing her movement expecting to find out her friends had restrained her for some reason but found something completely different.

"Beast Boy!" she gasped again.

For almost a week she had done nothing more than worried for his safety and now he lay so closely in the bed next to her. Finding strength from her determination to get closer to him she managed to roll herself off her bed without letting go of his hand. She heaved her weak frame up onto his bed so she could sit by him.

She looked at him as he lay there taking such small and silent breathes she was scared a few times thinking he had stopped all together.

"I'm so sorry Beast Boy," she said softly as tears slowly began to trickle down her cheeks. "If I had tried harder, we could have found you sooner. Maybe we could have saved you."

She no longer restrained her tears as she sobbed at the sight of Beast Boy before her. She let her head fall onto his chest and she continued to cry.

"I wish I could have saved you!"

Just then, a pair of arms encircled her and hugged her weakly.

"But Raven, you did."

Raven was speechless as she looked up at him. The way he looked at her she felt as if he was relishing in the mere sight of her, which was exactly what he was doing. All the while he never released his hold on her.

"I thought I was going to lose you," she said softly.

"Even Slade can't get rid of me that easily."

He pulled her up to him and kissed her lovingly on the lips. Neither had much the strength to do more than that at the moment as Raven settled in beside the green changeling. Raven snaked her arms around him and they held each other, silently crying with happiness and joy for a time that neither knew nor cared about. As they held each other with their eyes closed, a blue glow surrounded them basking them in warmth they had never felt before.

Finally reality became known to them again as the glow faded along with all their injuries. Raven sat up in surprise along with Beast Boy.

"What happened!" she said curiously.

"Looks like you healed us," said Beast Boy simply.

"I don't have the power to do that."

"Well I can live with that answer anyway, so long as I have you here with me," he replied leaning in and giving her a stronger kiss than before making her slightly off balance.

"What do you say we find our friends," he said standing up and stretching with bones cracking all over the place.

"Hmm?" moaned Raven still dazed by the kiss.

Beast Boy chuckled a little before spying a piece of paper by the bedside. He picked it up and began to read it, his ears and heart dropping with every word. Raven saw this and walked over to him.

"What is it?"

He handed her the paper, and sat on the bed with so many emotions now coursing through him.

"They can't do this to him!" she exclaimed suddenly turning to look at Beast Boy. "They can't get away with this!"

"They won't," he replied sternly, "Raven do you think you can get us to the place where the counsel is being held?"

"What are you planning Beast Boy?"

"I am not going to let them speak for our side of the story while I am alive."

"I can get us there, but do you think you are up for it, your wounds are gone, but you're still malnourished from the past week."

Her eyes grew dark at the mention of it. But Beast Boy would not be deterred.

"I will do what it takes to ensure Robin gets a fair hearing. We've gotten this far, and I will not let this go bad for anyone else either!"

Raven saw and felt the determination in him and knew he never gave up, even when he had been so close to death. She took his hands in hers and chanted her mantra.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."

Like that they were drawn into a portal and reappeared in a place neither had seen before.

"How did you know to get us here Raven?"

"I read a book on this place once."

"Wow, I thought this place would be top secret," said Beast Boy looking around carefully, not liking the feeling of the place.

"It was before the book came out."

Beast Boy turned to her and suddenly realized how weak he really was. Raven saw as he suddenly looked off kilter.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly going to him and supporting him by putting one of his arms around her shoulders.

"Thanks, just got a little dizzy."

"Well don't worry me like that, I've been through enough stress over your health and we are so close to being through this ordeal."

"I know," he said softly, "I know, and once this is through we will be done with it and we can rest for once."

Raven nodded and they headed down to the doors at the far end of the room they were in. They didn't know what was on the other side, but did know it was the right direction. Side by side, with Raven helping Beast Boy they trudged down to the other end in undying determination to help their friends who had stuck by there side so loyally. Reaching the doors they both put a hand on the door.

"You ready?" asked Beast Boy.

Raven paused for a second before answering.

"Yes."

"Then let's help out friends."

With that they both pushed on the doors and entered the next room.

Reviews are very welcome here, good or bad, tell me your thoughts. This story is drawing to a close soon.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Mr. Grayson, please inform the rest of the counsel what your decision was at the point when you were sure your teammates were secure in the medical room of Titan's Tower?"

Robin knew it the moment the man started the question. This would be the one to really get the wheels rolling against him. The whole hearing had gone like this. One of the men would ask him a question, and once Robin answered the one asking the question went on a tirade of what was wrong with the decision and how it endangered the lives of others. But this was also the one question he knew his answer was right.

"My decision from that point was not to send my remaining friends out to the city to patrol," said Robin so calmly that for the first time out of the whole hearing he got a facial expression out of one of the men. It did not last long, but it showed long enough to be noticed.

"Are you meaning to say that even though your teammates were in a safe and protective environment, that you willingly neglected the safety of the citizens of Jump City?!"

"Although my friends were in an environment which you may call safe and protective, it was in no way certain that they could even last the night. I knew it would be best that if anything should happen, I'd rather all of us be there."

"Mr. Grayson, I have met some arrogant people in my life but you take number one in my book. Apparently you believe that your decision to sit and mourn the bodies of two people whose survival was uncertain, over the lives of thousands of others was appropriate. And you seem to be unfazed by the thought that many people could be hurt or killed by your decision."

Robin stood up slowly with a look that could kill, and neither Starfire nor Cyborg could care what he planned to do. If it was his intention to hurt the counsel men, they would probably have helped at this point.

"Sir I not only believe what I decided was right, I know it was. When the lives of two of your dearest friends, or even more like when the lives of your brother and sister are on the eve of ending, I know I would like to be there till the end. But better yet I know that I would like to be there to know there was no more I could do to help those who have helped me so much."

"You refer to your teammates as friends and even family. I believe that is where your judgment has become clouded, and I believe the rest of the counsel will support me when I say that your teammates would feel disgraced by you!"

That was the last straw for Cyborg and Starfire who had been struggling to stay silent throughout the hearing.

"What gives you the right to speak for our friends!" shouted Starfire angrily with her eyes glowing, and unlike back at the tower Robin made no attempt at calming her down.

"Yeah," shouted Cyborg now joining the others in standing. "What makes you think you can do that!"

"The fact that our judgment is not clouded like yours gives us that right. And I believe that your teammates if they were here would completely agree with us."

All the men presiding over the hearing passed nods from one to another in agreement. Suddenly the doors at the back of the room opened revealing Raven and Beast Boy basically supporting each other as they made their way into the room.

"Did we miss much?" asked Beast Boy cheerily as Raven rolled her eyes.

"Beast Boy! Raven!" came the yells and shouts of the other Titans as they ran to their sides.

"We can manage," said Raven finally after they tried to help the two get over to the seats.

While the Titans were overjoyed to be finally reunited again, with some tears being shed for pure happiness, the counsel men were having conniptions trying to restore order amongst the teens and the crowd viewing them from above.

"Return to your seats immediately! I thought you said these two were unconscious back in your medical bay!"

"Oh don't worry, we were," replied Beast Boy as he practically fell into one of the seats next to Raven. "We just checked out early once we found that you guys were trying to steal our doctors and nurse."

"Silence you!"

This exchange between Beast Boy and the counsel man broke must of the tension in the air as many people laughed at the joke. Beast Boy did as he was told but kept a pleasant smile on his face.

Robin, Raven, and Beast Boy now occupied the seats as Starfire and Cyborg stood like bodyguards over them with arms folded. The Counsel man was not about to allow these newcomers to the hearing disrupt the major point he was trying to get across to everybody.He turned to Raven hoping he would get the result he wanted to deliver a blow to Robin's way of thinking.

"You are Raven Roth are you not?" he asked sternly.

At the mention of Raven's name Beast Boy's attention was now all on the man but his faced did not change to show the anger and suspicion he had for him calling on Raven suddenly.

"I am."

"You are said to be the most mature out of your team, do you agree with the statement that you are disgraced by the way Robin handled himself in this situation."

"Well for the majority of this situation I was unconscious but I gathered from your summons that Robin did not give the order to watch over the city so he and the others could be with us in what could have been our final moments."

"Yes, and you feel that he conducted himself poorly. You feel that he should have continued with his duties as a crime fighter; and that the meaningless company would have been just that, meaningless, don't you?"

From what the counsel man knew about Raven he figured the dark empathic teen would have shrugged off and attempts at comfort should she have been awake. But he did not figure how much she had changed since joining the Titans. Her answer was short and simple.

"Bullshit."

This brought many murmurs and conversation from the bleachers above which required some time to quiet down. The man questioning Raven was almost to angry to speak.

"I do not believe that the changeling feels the same way," he spat, scraping the bottom of the barrel for some way to turn argument around.

"I concur," said Beast Boy, much to the other's surprise for a moment, "Bullshit."

"How can this be?! Do you not understand what could have happened in this time?!"

Beast Boy looked at Raven for a second and she nodded slightly.

"I am only going to address the counsel this one more time, for Raven and I. Once I am done, it will be up to you what happens next."

He got no response from the men and that was a good sign because it did not stop Beast Boy from saying what he knew had to be said to get their point across.

"For years before I had joined the Titans I had no real place to call home and neither did Raven before she too joined. All of us had a time like that. We endured years of hardship as outcasts and freaks. Finally we had a place to call home, and after while we all grew on each other. Now we had something more that many of us did not have anymore. We had a family, maybe not in the conventional type, but a family none the less."

Whatever Beast Boy was saying was coming from nowhere else but his heart and the others could only not at the sincere truth being laid on the table.

"What I am trying to get at is that for the past week I had been a captive of the sadistic madman Slade who tortured me every day in ways I will not describe. And about two days ago my family finally found me. One of them, Raven, who means more to me than the world, was hurt badly by this madman. The two of us sat on our deathbeds, without any real chance to say goodbyes or anything of that sort. And I don't know about you mister, but for someone who has been alone for the most of his life, knowing that my loved ones gave up so much to be with me in the end says something that cannot be put to words that you would never understand. I am proud of them and hope that we never will part again and I know Raven is with me in saying this."

The room they were in was dead silent. Not even the crowd above made a noise through his speech. Beast Boy pulled out his communicator which he for some reason grabbed unknowingly on the way out and laid it on the table before him.

"That is why if you choose to terminate Robin as the leader of the Teen Titans I will resign from my position on the team."

Now the murmurs began in the crowds above. But the counsel before them seemed as inhuman as ever.

"I do not care what you plan to-."

He was cut off by Raven as she threw her communicator on the table with the changeling's.

"The same goes for me."

Cyborg and Starfire followed suit but still did not speak. Robin stood up and held out his communicator as if presenting it to the Counsel.

"Well," he said with a smile that was nothing more than joy in the fact that either way this went would mean nothing to him because he would always have his friends with him.

Now the crowd watching them stood up and began to shout and yell in loud voices that made it hard to discern what it was there were saying. But for the most part the teens gathered they were yelling in their favor. The Counsel men looked around in silent fury at the turn in the tide of the hearing. They looked from one to anther knowing they could not replace all of the Titans and from the looks of some of them they were moved by the Beast Boy's speech. Finally one of them stood up.

"This counsel after hearing the testimony has decided to drop the charges on Mr. Grayson."

After the verdict was announced the men quickly shuffled out of a door hidden behind where they sat and the crowds above cheered and applauded loudly. The Titans however were silent as more tears flowed and they began to hug each other knowing that now, after almost a week and a half of pain and hardship, the ordeal was finally over.

Raven stood up and staggered over to Beast Boy and collapsed into his lap. He pulled her immediately into a long kiss and embrace. The two held each other for a few minutes before drifting off into sleep oblivious to everything around them exhausted from what they went through. Robin hugged Starfire quickly before she pulled away suddenly only to come back and give Robin his own kiss from her which he eagerly returned.

Cyborg rolled his eyes muttering something like, 'about time' before noticing his sleeping teammates. He got a good chuckle but resisted the urge to take photos. He walked over to them and picked one up in each arm like babies noticing how thin and light they both had gotten. He turned to Robin and Starfire who not to his surprise had still not broken away from each other.

"Come on you guys," he said interrupting them, "let's get back home so we all can get a good rest."

"Yeah," agreed Robin happily, "But you know, out of all of us I think they deserve it the most."

"I believe you are right as well friends Cyborg," said Starfire who was having trouble staying close to the ground. With the amount of happiness she had she could have flown to the moon and back in ten seconds flat.

"Let's go then," replied Cyborg tiredly as he yawned.

Even though two of the Titans were asleep they all left the building at the same time and they never left each other's sides the whole trip back. Once they arrived at the tower Beast Boy and Raven were returned to the medical room and the others went to their rooms for a much needed rest. Silence and depression no longer lingered in the tower on this day, now it was filled with the sound of Titans snoring and sleeping contently recovering from a horrific event that none would ever forget.

I did not like the idea of putting this whole counsel part in here, and I kinda wanted to end it with Beast BOy's return, but I think it had really went well with the story after all. It kind of gave it more closure

Please review anyone who reads this, good or bad I don't care. There is probably only going to be one more chapter with this story. It will wrap up some lose ends I have with this. Please let me know what you think.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Slade sat in a metal chair staring at his monitors showing many different views of the inside of Titans Tower with his chin resting on his folded hands deep in thought. The screens only revealed to him that most of the tower was lifeless. To him this was an excellent sign.

'It seems their retrieval of their friends has done damage much quicker than I figured. I assume I must give him a call.'

He shut off all of his monitors showing the inside of their tower except for the one large one in the center of his massive display. He connected it to their T.V. as if he were entering a video conference for a business. He chuckled darkly at the irony as he waited for someone to turn the screen on at their end.

'They are taking longer to answer the call, this is very good.'

Slade figured that if they didn't answer at all that was perfectly fine with him. He would just pay a personal visit. But just as he was about to disconnect Robin's face appeared on the screen answering it very tiredly.

"Robin speaking, what's the problem?" he asked not even noticing who he was talking to through his grogginess.

"Well, well, Robin. I always figured you as the most observant on your team, but I may have to reconsider the list."

Robin was immediately snapped back to reality at the cold voice of his arch enemy.

"Slade!" he growled through clenched teeth.

"Now Robin manners are key when speaking to adults. I am only here to check up on your team to see if you were still worth fighting. And I see that you seem to be taking the past week very well."

Robin immediately caught on to why Slade was calling.

'He must still figure that Beast Boy is out of commission or even dead. Well let's not spoil his moment.'

"Yes well we all knew something like this would happen sooner or later with Beast Boy being who Beast Boy is."

Slade was slightly disappointed to find Robin well composed at his questioning, but knew the others were less stable emotionally. At that moment Starfire walked through the door and met the sight of Robin conversing with Slade via the T.V.

"You!" she shrieked loudly.

Robin whipped his head away from the screen so Slade could not see his face as he winked at Starfire who cocked her head in confusion.

"Come on over Starfire and join our little chat. We are just talking about Beast Boy's unfortunate incident."

He kept winking till he turned around and Starfire reluctantly came over and stood next to him still unsure of what was going on. As soon as she came over Robin pulled her into a light kiss right in front of the madman.

"I, see you both are in quite good spirits," sputtered Slade who was very confused by now by their actions and by how polite they were being.

"We all couldn't be better since what happened."

"All of you?" questioned Slade as Cyborg walked through the door into the living room also stunned by seeing Slade.

Robin again turned his head and went through the same procedure as he did with Starfire except without the kiss and Cyborg very quickly caught on.

"Yeah, I'm feeling so great right now Robin, I think I'm going to go get something and show it to our old pal Slade here," said Cyborg cheerily as he left the room quickly.

"You know what Slade; I think you're going to be amazed what he has to show you."

Slade was so confused by now he was sure that Robin and he had been talking about different incidents because everything had till now pointed towards a success on his part.

"What could he possibly have to show me?" he demanded almost angrily at the seemingly insane attitudes of the Titans.

As he said that Cyborg returned and stood in the doorway with a massive grin on his face.

"May I present to you Slade, your surprise!"

As he stepped away from the entrance to the room Raven and Beast Boy entered hand in hand. At this Slade was silent and seemed to have lost all thought process for a minute. Robin turned to look at the screen again.

"Yeah I guess you're right Slade, we are in unusually high spirits considering the fact we never lost hope in finding Beast Boy."

He watched Slade for a second as he shook with anger unable to voice his questions. Now Beast Boy spoke as he and Raven stood next to Robin and Starfire with Cyborg behind them all.

"What's the matter Slade, you seem tense. Maybe you should take a vacation or something. Yeah, take some time off to recuperate a little, 'cause it seems I'm not the weakest link here, you are."

The others couldn't help but laugh at Slade's reaction at their trick they pulled on the evil doer.

"I will make you all pay for this," he said darkly, unable to formulate any other sentence in his confusion and anger.

He terminated the connection and began to pace back and forth in his new hideout trying to sort through what just happened. He had gone from being the smug victor to the butt end of a joke by someone who was supposed to be mentally broken. He continued to pace as the Titan's finished up laughing.

"Oh man did you see the look on his face man!" said Cyborg as he finally began to compose himself.

"Yeah," said Robin with a big grin, "It looks like for once we got the last laugh."

Before they all could scatter and start to prepare for breakfast a message beeped on the computer. Robin was the one to go read it.

"What's it say?" asked Starfire curiously.

"It's from Batman, he says the counsel was disbanded last night after we left. And he also sends his congrats to all of us and especially to Raven and Beast Boy."

"Oh that was nice of him," replied Starfire as she took Robin by the arm and they went over into the kitchen.

"God I am so happy things can start getting back to normal," exclaimed Cyborg as he began to flip pancakes on the stove.

"Yeah," agreed Raven contently as she sipped her tea.

Beast Boy smiled, happy to finally be home. But then something clicked in his memory.

"There is one more thing that has to be done before we can enjoy breakfast completely."

Everyone looked at him strangely as he left the room for a few minutes. He soon returned though carrying a few small unidentifiably smashed devices in his palm.

"One more to go," he said happily at their concerned faces.

Back in Slade's hideout he finally gave up trying to use logic to understand what happened. He soon fell on the plan to watch them through breakfast hoping to learn where he went wrong.

He turned on the monitors only to find all blank except one. He had just enough time to see Beast Boy's smiling face filling the screen as he ripped out the hidden camera causing the screen to go blank. Slade slumped down into his chair coming to conclusion of his mistake; Beast Boy was by no means the weakest link.

At Titans Tower Beast Boy threw out the smashed cameras and returned to the kitchen table next to Raven and finally for the first time in over a week he could sit down and enjoy the simple, but very much appreciated pleasure of eating a meal with his friends.

This ordeal had left him scarred physically but mentally Beast Boy had, with the help of Raven, defeated anything Slade had tried to instill in him. The Titans were complete again and they knew next time they faced Slade they would make _him_ be the one to pay. But for now they ate and were happy with each other's company, and there wasn't anyone or anything that could take that away from them.

**THE END**


End file.
